Vatican 2 calls on all Christians to read the Bible,   'to have a burning love'   for the Word of God

This reading plan follows the Sunday liturgy: reading + psalm + reading + gospel            From www.simplebible.info 

O Holy Spirit, please guide me as I read these passages for today. 
May these passages give me hope, strength, courage and peace for my daily life 

January 3, 2012     

Genesis 3     

A creature hostile to God took the form of a snake
and tempted the first man and first woman

The snake tempted them to disobey God.
The man and woman then disobeyed God

When God asked them why they disobeyed him,
the man blamed the woman, and the woman blamed the snake

God said to the snake:
"You are the enemy of the human race.
Someday a member of the human race will defeat you"

God said to the man and woman:
"From dust you came  and to dust you will return"

The first man's name was Adam (meaning "man").
The first woman's name was Eve (meaning "life")
Dear God, please help me understand
 how evil in the world  started when Adam and Eve disobeyed you


Psalm 2

Why are the nations revolting against God?
Why won't the nations accept God?

O kings and rulers of the nations, listen to God's voice.
Serve the Lord with love and honor

Blessed are the nations that love the Lord

Let all the nations love you, Lord. Let all the nations love you
Acts 1.6-11

On the day he was taken up to heaven, Jesus said to his apostles "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. 
Then you will be my witnesses in every part of the world"

As he said this, he was lifted up while they watched.
A cloud took him from their sight

Then two angels appeared to them and said
"Jesus who has been taken up from you, will come back some day in the same way as you have seen him leave"

Jesus, help me be your witness 
by the way I think and speak and live
Matthew 2.1-12    

Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem,
during the reign of King Herod

Some months after Jesus' birth,
several  wise men from the East came to Jerusalem

They said  "Where is the infant king of the Jews? 
We saw his star as it rose and we have come to offer him honor"

King Herod felt threatened by this news.
He knew from the Scriptures  that the promised Anointed One would be born in Bethlehem

So Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem,
pretending that he too would like to offer honor to the child

The wise men headed for Bethlehem, guided by the star.
The star filled them with joy.
The star stopped over the place where the child was

The wise men fell to their knees and honored the child.
They offered him gifts of gold, incense and myrrh

Then they returned to their own country by a different way,
having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod

Jesus,  help me to honor you like the wise men